Akatosh's step suddenly stop when he saw Faylinn. He felt odd from her as if she was about to relay something, he felt a shudder from underneath his senses even when Faylinn shows a very blissful air.
"Don't tell me, am I going to be grilled." He thought.
"I hope so." The stillmage replies.
"Aren't you going to look after her?" Akatosh asks Faylinn.
Faylinn smile. "My sisters are with her so no need to worry. Besides you're the first human she'd taken an interest in."
"I don't know could be the 'paper plane'."
"You mean that, that flying thing. She's very attached to it."
"I think so… Anyway, what brings you here."
"Nothing in particular." Faylinn smiles circling Akatosh.
"I'm confused." His wits are trembling whenever Faylinn goes around his back.
"Akatosh was it, say why don't you stay here for a while until the next season end. I could offer you a place in my room--"
"Sorry, but I'll pass."
Faylinn grumbles. "How firmly," she sighs, "the thing is I just came here to tell you something about her. The truth about her is not something to talk about to an outsider like you."
"It's fine no need to tell me."
"No, we've been surveying you both for the past hour and it's nice to see Aryl having a smile like that. When she was left alone, all she could do was hide her emotion, pretending to be contented from her surroundings."
"What about her parents."
Faylinn pause, tentative to utter a response but, still, she spoke her words. "It was harsh, when she came into this world the clan rejoice when they'd known she was a special one. We thought it was a gift from lord Hackrash himself until that day happen. When her powers abruptly went berserk, her parents tried to seal it unfortunately, they were killed by her before they could end the spell. And only it was her grandfather Zeymah who manage to suppressed her power. He even had to erase her memory after that incident. It didn't end there however when she nearly killed four of her playmates for competing with her power. That's why everyone in this cove doesn't see her as one of us but a monster."
His tongue froze, unable to squeeze a single word he let it pass hoping if he can respond to another word, Faylinn have to say.
Somewhere else on a small rocky cascading waterfall near to a creek, a place where few pine-like trees are growing. There Chifya laid rest sitting on a hollowed log, weighing her emotions. She thought for the first that Galish would help her, she thought that she could be free from the elder's coercion. But in the end, it didn't matter—whether she like it or not.
Amidst her sentiment a gushing wind breeze at her location thrashing her long charcoal hair. Fixing her hair, she stares at the clear blue sky that's when she saw a paper plane landing on one of the trees. The moment she saw the paper plane she immediately racks from her sit going to retrieve the kite. And when she was about to cast a spell twerking the tree to drop the kite Aryl came running with all her might.
"Ah, big sister Chifya. Sorry for intruding on you but have you seen a white paper-like bird. It's similar to a bird's beak but it's more plane and--"
"You mean that thing over there?" Chifya points towards the paper plane laying on the leaves.
"Yes, that's the thing!" Aryl happily said.
"I see, stay put I'll cast some spell." And with her offer she used her druid magic causing the tree to twerk and bend down allowing Chifya to easily grab the kite.
When she gently grabs the paper plane, nosiness takes over her. She has never seen anything like this plus she had never seen Aryl so enthusiastic. She'd known her for a long time but it was her first time to see her breaming in happiness.
"Did you make this?" Chifya asks giving her the paper plane.
"No big sister Chifya, brother Akatosh made it for me."
"Akatosh?!" Chifya was surprised.
"Yes, brother Akatosh was so amazing he even taught me how to make this paper kite. He told me many incredible stories about his country and how they lived. There was so much, he said that they manage to visit the moon with something similar to this. Big brother Akatosh said that you will die the moment you went up there. So, they would wear enchanted armor to protect them from 'space'. There was so much, if you want big sister Chifya we can go visit him together."
"That's okay I'm fine in here, I'll soon be with you after I'm done with this place."
"Then I'll be heading first." Waves Aryl.
When Aryl left, Chifya returns to herself once again murmuring in sadness.
It was almost dusk when they heard Aryl yelling at Akatosh. Straightaway Faylinn runs towards hiding leaving Akatosh to entertain Aryl once again. But before Faylinn left, Akatosh ask her to bring her some materials.
"It looks like it won't be a good time tonight," Akatosh said staring at the black clouds knowing it will be a blizzard.
Before dusk came, Chifya went to the closest human village to buy something that will ease her troubles. And when she returns, the night was already taken its position. Hiding the boozes, she bought, Chifya went to a place where she can be alone, a place where she can drink all her problems away. From there she wept and thwart every sentence she can utter and constantly blaming Akatosh for giving her troubles. And after sipping three bottles, she was already drunk, but still kept on drinking another bottle until something snap from her mind.
She thought something, something very mischievous that will somehow tingle her fate from this place. She knew how the mark from her chest work, it's one of the key essentials to be able to conclude the ritual. And the purpose of the mark is to unite with her partner together and that someone she knows was Galish. It can't be undone or erased once she shares her mark though, it will not be counted as a couple if they didn't fully fulfill the ritual.
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Chifya smile after finishing the fourth bottle. Changing to her wolf form she then trails off before the storm once again swoops the village.
"What a nice day," Akatosh said after taking a refreshing cold bath.
Taking the materials comprising of large barks and an unknown adhesive Faylinn gave him, he then puts them on the table. Dragging the workbench near the bed and, with just a loose shirt and loose pants and barefoot he begins his work.
"What're ya making boy," Amaragnum said, watching him chipping the bark, slowly flattening the surface.
"Watch and learn idiot," Akatosh said using the bed as a chair.
After only ten minutes of working the blizzard finally takes its landfall. Rustling trees and whistling wind can be heard outside but Akatosh was too focus on his work. He was so mesmerized that he didn't notice the creaking sound of his door open and closed.
"Ah, boy." The stillmage calls watching the person entering their hut still Akatosh was now too busy to hear his voice. "Ngehh, forget it," Amaragnum said retrieving back from his hiding place.
"You sure are one noisy child," Akatosh said ignoring the presence of someone crawling towards him and the sound of bottles clinging on the floor. He thought it was Amaragnum causing a ruckus, trying to tamper his work but he was wrong.
When he was about to compare the exact measurement of the book and the flatted bark, he realizes his arms were frozen. Not only his arms but his entire body. Fortunately for him, he can only manage to move his eyes and tongue. He rolled his eyes down to see a white magic circle embedded on the floor right where his foot was. And then comes Chifya. Placing her head on his shoulder she then wraps her arms around him, embracing him tightly. With just a snap of her finger, Akatosh's body turns frozen to paralyzed. Although too weak to move his muscle, he can feel the touch of a woman rubbing with him.
"Since you're--" *hiccup* "--so mean to me, I'm going to--" *hiccup* "--punish you!"
"Rag, I beg you! Please… friend! I beg you! Friend!" A grunted voice Akatosh shriek.
*Hiccup* "Are you laughing at me!" Chifya scorn changing her position from back to front. "Are you mocking me again--" *hiccup* "--like you always do! Because I'm a dark elf." She shouts pinning Akatosh down on the bed.
True, her luscious and beautiful body, plus her white silky hair are a gaze to behold from her more enticing wolf-form. But Akatosh's wits are shaking like a dog tucking its tail after seeing Chifya's fang and ravenous steel-claws that can easily carve and rip him apart.
"Please, anyone! Someone saves me from this sadistic drunken bi-- AAARRRRRRGGGG!" He screeches in agony when Chifya like a cat claws his back and at the same time tearing and shredding his shirt into pieces without dripping an effort.
Sweating from his injuries and what's in front of him. Akatosh tries to reach out the book to use it as his defense but, all was in vain when Chifya quickly snatched his wrist. Firmly pressing his arms, she then sneers in a sinister smile slowly scratching his arms.
"If you do that again I'll tear your drawing to bits—AAAARRRRGGG!"
Again, but this time Chifya nips his left shoulder dipping her fangs at his flesh after ravaging his shirt. Bloodstained the furry bed and her bite begins to worsen. He felt Chifya's bite burning like someone just pressed a hot iron into his flesh. After that comes dizziness, he doesn't know why as his sight blurred and the world around him spin until he couldn't care less anymore and drown in slumber.
After Chifya had retrieved her fangs from his flesh, her powers quickly deteriorated changing back into her original self. Tired and drunk she pulls the bedspread warming themselves from the cold night.
The blizzard from the night was but a gift to the woman who laid her troubles at the young man. And a cursed storm to the traveler who received her shares. The wolf had caught a lovely prey.
When morning arrives. "Okay whoever picks the shortest stick will be the one to check Akatosh," Sheila said at her companions, and from her hand are four spouting taper sticks.
"Can you just go by yourself I'm busy with something?" Reith scratches his head.
"You seem different from today Sheila, is there something troubling you?" Riya said.
"I insist." Sheila shakes her head.
"Fine," Sei sight, "Let's get this over with and head back to our guild."
"That's the spirit!" Sheila happily smiles.
Afterward---
"Why does it always have to be me all the time." Sheila moans after choosing the shortest one.
Hesitating to go, Sheila first inspects Akatosh's hut at a few distances. And with a good look, she saw the door slightly open just a few seven or five inches. And since it's an 'okay-to-go' from her perspective, Sheila trails while exclaiming Akatosh's name.
Chifya was awoken from the rushing shout and the sudden sound of a door open. Bottles rolled on the floor and once again Sheila saw Chifya in loose clothing laying atop of Akatosh's deadass body. And by the looks of Sheila's eyes, they were more enthusiastic that night from that shredded shirt and those unfinished and spilled boozes.
"I'm sorry!" Sheila shouts quickly closing the door.
"So, how is he?" Ask Sei when Sheila quickly whack his stomach.
"Ouch, what's wrong with you all of a sudden." Sei implores.
"Nothing," Sheila replies blushing in mortification.
Sei sight. "Then I'll go check on him--"
"Wait," Sheila exclaimed cutting Sei. "Just stop, let's just wait for them to wake up."
"Them?" Sei replies.
"Yes, Chifya and Akatosh." Sheila embarrassedly said.
The three looks at each other and, having the same idea towards the two they then said. "Oh, that explains a lot."
"Shut up!" Sheila exclaimed.
"Ugh… what happen last night," Chifya murmured after she saw Sheila trailing off after she'd close the door.
When her vision returns, she gasps to see herself in Akatosh's room moreover in bed with him. Feeling nausea from her extreme hangover she quickly shook off from the bed and let everything out in the window. Leaving hurriedly away from the hut she quickly went to her house without being seen by anyone. And when Chifya quickly went to her room, where she finally notices the blood-stained in her arms.
"Wake up boy," Amaragnum calls from Akatosh's mind ringing his slumber like a mosquito.
"Damn everything hurts," Akatosh grunted in pain checking every part of his body. "The hell is these, I'm lucky I didn't lose much blood or else I'll be just a pile of corpses."
"It's all good but I had to say, that's a nice tattoo you got there," Amaragnum said.
"Where?"
"Left side of your shoulder."
"Do you know what this is?!" Akatosh implores seeing a blue quarter moon mark parallel to Chifya.
"Mm-hmm… I don't know it might be good to ask the elders. Could be a curse or just a tattoo." Amaragnum lied.
"You're lying."
"Look I'm not a master of everything and I don't have the slight interest to learn druid spell and their magic thing or their lame tongue. If you want to fill your answer go and ask the elders or the one who put it. And I'm not a healer so go and ask some aid to your companions."
Dragging himself towards where Sheila is, Akatosh quickly asks for a healing spell.
"Ahh… that's right that's right… Ahh, yes the pain's fading." Akatosh moaning in pleasure.
While Sheila is busy nursing Akatosh's wounds, Sei, Reith, and Riya are whispering about Akatosh's injury.
"Just what kind of things did they done to have that kind of scratch." Reith implores.
"Must be too big for her to handle." Sei follows trying to hold their laughter.
"I can hear you guys," Sheila said.
"If I may ask do you know this mark, the one on my left shoulder," Akatosh said.
Sheila shakes her head. "I'm sorry but I'm not very familiar with that type of symbol. I believe you should ask the elders about that; they might have some knowledge."
"Now you see stupid," Amaragnum said.
"Fuck off." Akatosh snorted.
"So about today. Faylinn said there will be some sort of druid festival about someone for today. And she's asking if we could you know, stay and join their feast." Implores Akatosh.
"I-I don't know we've never been to--" Sheila wince unable to continue her words.
"Why not let's take this as experience. Someday all of you might be invited in a palace, why not take this as familiarity. The guild could wait."
Having reason with them the four agrees and not before long Aryl came running to see Akatosh. And behind her are Faylinn and her two-sister shadowing her from behind.
"Ahh… and one more thing." Akatosh sigh.